Gandhinagar: A court in Gujarat on Wednesday summoned Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on July 13 for their “derogatory” statements with regard to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s degree. The Ahmedabad Metropolitan Magistrate Court of Jayesh Chovatiya has summoned the two AAP leaders on July 13 in connection with a criminal defamation case filed against them by the Gujarat University.
The lawyers representing Kejriwal and Singh submitted an application before Ahmedabad Metropolitan Magistrate Court and sought to exempt their clients from appearance. Besides, the lawyers also sought documents related to the complaint in the case. Lawyer Amit Nair, who is representing the Gujarat University in the case said that the lawyers for both the accused appeared in the court today and filed an application seeking court documents.
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He said that the court provided them with the documents adding that they also filed an application for their exemption from appearance in the court for today. It is learnt that the court while accepting their exemption application, the court pointed out a circular for speedy trial against MPs and MLAs and asked them when they can remain present.
To this, the respondents said they will remain present on July 13 for plea recording. Earlier, the court had imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on Kejriwal in the case. Earlier, the court observed that prima facie there appeared to be a case against Kejriwal and Sanjay Singh under section 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The criminal defamation case has been filed against the two AAP leaders by the Gujarat University Registrar Piyush Patel for their comments in the aftermath of Gujarat High Court setting aside the Chief Information Commissioner's order on PM Modi's degree. Patel said that Kejriwal and Singh made “defamatory” statements in press conferences and on Twitter targeting the university over Modi’s degree adding the statements were defamatory and intended to hurt the reputation of the varsity.
